The worldwide pandemic forced schools to
rethink traditional face-to-face learning and unwillingly transition from the Industrial Park schoolhouse to the Global Village accessed
from home. So, while there
may be no schoolhouses in the Global Village, the pandemic has amplified every
weakness in an education process based on the 20th Century Industrial Park model. These issues are being addressed in Phase 1 of the Transition.
While some schools have been creeping toward blended learning models
that combine face-to-face learning with online learning, this requires the
presence of both teacher and student at the same time. However, unlike the Industrial Park
classroom, the student has some control over time, pace, and
place. By pivoting to full online learning, school administrators are also
discovering the many inequities associated with the Global Village model. Unless Residents of the Global Village
can deal with childcare and accessibility issues, their children will be forced to get educated via the failed Industrial Park model once the pandemic is over.
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
When children participate in remote learning from home, many parents have to choose between work and home. Someone must stay at home with children
while they attend virtual school. That someone is usually the mother. Since
businesses have failed to step up and provide daycare while schools remain
closed, this problem will constrain schools from moving to a fully remote school
day--even if this proves to be as effective as in-person learning. In
addition to childcare complications, school administrators must also find ways to solve the accessibility and equity issues.
Disadvantaged youth do not have
access to Wi-Fi or telecommunication devices. Although many schools provide devices and hot
spots, not all schools can afford to do this. High speed internet along
with up-to-date devices are out of reach for many families and underfunded school districts.
This issue also affects rural communities that often do not have internet
access. The closest hot spot might be an hour’s drive. So, until Wi-Fi is
available and affordable wherever needed, school administrators will be reluctant to abandon the heritage schoolhouses of the Industrial Park.
Now, Residents of the Global Village must ask themselves, "How will our children get educated on the road ahead? If stakeholders are willing to make
transformative change, schools can become hubs for students to communicate,
collaborate, debate, and discuss. Students will get educated at home using pre-recorded on-demand
modules with the support of a homeschooling assistant. On social interaction days,
students may be bused to gatherings at sporting events, camps sponsored by the "Y" or traditional dances, proms, and plays.
Knowledge and skills gained in the traditional school setting can be learned at home. But, social skills, team building, and leadership, require student interaction. These skills form the soul of the Global Village. They cannot be accomplished in quiet isolation, social media activity, or gaming competition.
Children
must learn how to work with a variety of peers and adults. They must encounter
diversity, work through disagreements, and build relationships. The future of
education will require students to learn the majority of the information at
home and then build skills related to collaboration, emotional intelligence,
and team building when they interact with others in their local community.
Students
may no longer need to follow a bell schedule, elect a prom queen, or attend a pep
rally. However, school administrators must provide students with the type of interactions that allow them to learn from
each other, work together, and solve problems.
Now that schools have had to pivot to full online learning, they are
discovering the many inequities associated with this model. Until school administrators can deal with childcare and accessibility issues, schools will return to using the failing
traditional face-to-face model once the pandemic is over.
In
addition to childcare complications, school administrators must also find a way to solve the
issues related to accessibility and equity. Disadvantaged youth do not have
access to Wi-Fi or devices. Although many schools provide devices and hot
spots, not all schools can afford to do the same. High speed internet along
with up-to-date devices are a high cost for families and/or school divisions.
This issue also affects rural communities that often do not have internet
access, and the closest hot spot might be an hour’s drive. So, until Wi-Fi is
available and affordable everywhere it is needed, school administrators will be reluctant to abandon the legacy of the Industrial Park model.
Much
of the information learned in the traditional school setting is easily learned
from home. But, the social skills, collaborative skills, problem-solving, and
critical thinking occur when students interact. These skills are needed in the
workplace and cannot be accomplished while working individually or even with
the same small group of students.
Children
must learn how to work with a variety of peers and adults. They must encounter
diversity, work through disagreements, and build relationships. The future of the Global Village may require young Residents to acquire an elementary education at home. But building collaborative skills, emotional intelligence,
and the ability to lead others must occur in their local community.
Industrial Park traditions such as following bell schedules, electing prom queens, and mandatory attendance at pep
rallies will fade into the forgotten past over time. However, school administrators in the Global Village must provide opportunities for students to learn from
each other, work together, and become valued citizens of both their local community and the Global Village.
